[Nfbnet-members-list] Fwd: National Federation of the Blind Launches NFB Project Innovation

[David Andrews]

>
>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
>CONTACT:
>Mark Riccobono
>Executive Director
>National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute
>(410) 659-9314, extension 2368
>(410) 935-4019
><mailto:mriccobono at nfb.org>mriccobono at nfb.org
>
>National Federation of the Blind Launches NFB Project Innovation
>
>Innovation Expo Will Feature Findings by Blind Youth
>on Topics Ranging from Space Elevators to Hovercrafts
>
>Baltimore, Maryland (July 25, 2012): The 
><http://www.nfb.org/>National Federation of the 
>Blind (NFB) today launched its first-ever NFB 
>Project Innovation as part of its 
><http://www.twitter.com/NFBScience>National 
>Center for Blind Youth in Science 
>initiative.  This program, held through July 28, 
>at the NFB Jernigan Institute in Baltimore, will 
>expose twenty-nine blind students of a variety 
>of ages to nonvisual practices that facilitate 
>their involvement in science, technology, 
>engineering, and math (STEM), encourage 
>mentoring and leadership development in blind 
>youth, and encourage innovation and scientific 
>experimentation for blind students in the classroom.
>
>NFB Project Innovation brings together blind 
>STEM experts, adult blind mentors, blind high 
>school students, and blind elementary students 
>(grades 3–6) and their parents/guardians.  The 
>program facilitates student-directed learning, 
>as each NFB Project Innovation participant 
>chooses their course of study.  Throughout the 
>five-day program, students will learn from blind 
>leaders in their respective fields as they investigate their area of study.
>
>On Saturday, July 28, NFB Project Innovation 
>will culminate in the Innovation Expo, where the 
>students will reveal the results of their 
>multi-day investigations.  The students will be 
>presenting their findings on diverse topics 
>ranging from space elevators and hovercrafts to 
>nonvisual dissection and the science of ice 
>cream!  The expo will be held from 3:30 to 5:00 
>p.m. at the NFB Jernigan Institute.
><http://www.nfb.org/marc-maurer-bio>Dr. Marc 
>Maurer, President of the 
><http://www.facebook.com/NationalFederationoftheBlind>National 
>Federation of the Blind, said: “Much of society 
>still perpetuates the damaging misconception 
>that blind people cannot participate in STEM 
>fields.   NFB Project Innovation counteracts 
>that misconception by introducing blind youth to 
>successful blind mentors in these fields and 
>giving the students the tools needed to learn 
>the nonvisual methods that will allow them to 
>participate and excel in science, technology, 
>engineering, and math.   And unlike other 
>science programs where students are assigned 
>fields of study, NFB Project Innovation allows 
>its participants to chart their own course, 
>which will instill in them an even greater 
>confidence in their own capacity for 
>achievement.  The NFB Project Innovation 
>participants will leave this program with the 
>belief that they can compete on an equal playing 
>field with their sighted peers in the STEM 
>fields, as well as in all other aspects of life.”
>
>NFB Project Innovation is made possible by its 
>generous sponsors, including the 
><http://responsibility.motorolasolutions.com/index.php/society/>Motorola 
>Solutions Foundation, <http://www.nsa.gov/>the 
>National Security Agency, 
><http://www.northropgrumman.com/>Northrop 
>Grumman, and <http://www.community.ups.com/UPS+Foundation>the UPS Foundation.
>
>
>###
>
>About the National Federation of the Blind
>With more than 50,000 members, the National 
>Federation of the Blind is the largest and most 
>influential membership organization of blind 
>people in the United States.  The NFB improves 
>blind people’s lives through advocacy, 
>education, research, technology, and programs 
>encouraging independence and 
>self-confidence.  It is the leading force in the 
>blindness field today and the voice of the 
>nation's blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened 
>the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan 
>Institute, the first research and training 
>center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org/attachments/20120725/74570965/attachment.html>